Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting on Wednesday with thousands of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders described the IRGC as a big divine blessing and the watchful and vigilant guardian of the Islamic Revolution in internal and external issues.

Elucidating the requirements and various aspects of safeguarding the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The enemy is thinking about infiltration, particularly politico-cultural infiltration, in the vain hope of putting an end to the [Islamic] Revolution, which uncovering of the conspiracies of the enemy, upgrading and strengthening the revolutionary spirit, and persistent move towards the realization of the ideals [of the revolution] will defeat [attempts made for the realization of] this objective.” In this meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei outlined the standing of the revolutionary guards and their crucial tasks at the present time and in the future, explaining the four terms of “Corps,” “Guards,” “Revolution” and “Islamic,” along with their various aspects, specifications and requirements.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the word “corps” means having an organization and establishment and order and discipline, adding: “For no organization and organ other than the IRGC, has organizational duty been defined for safeguarding the Islamic Revolution as the dearest historic and current event of the country.”

Ayatollah Khamenei stated that “lack of senility and rebirth” through growth and deepening, and “training new, effective and cognizant elements” are among the requirements of the IRGC establishment, adding: “In addition to training new internal elements, the IRGC influences various organs and organizations and [paves the way for the growth] of effective people by sending its elements to different organs.”

Noting that another outstanding feature of the IRGC’s structure is the development of “on-the-ground, political, identity-related and dignifying” might, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Among the features of the organizational structure of the IRGC is inclination towards [using] young people and benefiting from the experience of veteran and senior forces, which this trend should continue and no generation gap should happen in the IRGC.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the words “guard” and “guarding the revolution” symbolize revolutionary will and presence and identity, noting: “When we say guarding the revolution, it implies that there is still a strong revolutionary resolve and that the revolution is alive and present with full power and force because if a revolution is not alive it would be meaningless to guard it.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that another aspect of “guarding the revolution” is that the revolution is exposed to threats, adding: “If there were no threats, it would not be necessary to guard the revolution. Therefore, due to the existence of threats, we have to identify them.”

Noting that one of the main duties assigned to the IRGC is to constantly monitor domestic, regional and international issues in order to identify threats, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The IRGC is not an introverted organization occupied with its administrative affairs, but a watchful and vigilant observer monitoring internal and external issues.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added that another aspect of “guarding the revolution” is “constant vigilance and awareness,” noting: “We have never been and will never be the initiator of a war, but since the Islamic Revolution is always exposed to threats from adversaries and trouble-makers, constant awareness and vigilance of the IRGC and preparedness proportionate with these threats are absolutely necessary.”

Highlighting another aspect of “safeguarding the revolution,” i.e. “glorification and commemoration of the revolution,” Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The requirement for glorification and appreciation of the Islamic Revolution is to have conscious, clear and comprehensive knowledge of the revolution, which such a knowledge must exist in all sections and [through the entire] hierarchy of the IRGC.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that one way for the infiltration of the enemy is casting doubt on [people’s firmly-held] convictions, adding: “The way to confront such infiltration is for the IRGC staff to be equipped with the strong logic of the revolution through by the power of convincement, reasoning and expression about the Islamic Revolution.” Ayatollah Khamenei said knowing the enemy is another aspect of “guarding the revolution”, adding: “Enemy means global arrogance and its complete manifestation [which is] America, for which reactionary regimes and weak-hearted people are agents.”

“The necessity for guarding the revolution is to know the enemy’s cognitive and practical weaknesses and to convince those people who have no accurate knowledge of the enemy yet,” added Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution went on to highlight weaknesses and contradictions in the fundamentals of the enemy, saying: “The enemies of the Islamic Revolution are those who came to the region years ago with [such] slogans like ‘establishment of security’, ‘fighting terrorism’, ‘establishment of democracy’ and ‘establishment of peace’, but now the result of their presence is [nothing but] insecurity, emergence of savage and violent terrorism, and ignition of war in the region.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The slogan of ‘establishing democracy’ in the region, which is shouted by the Americans, has now grown into one of their major problems and their Achilles’ heel because today the most reactionary and the most dictatorial regimes in the region continue their crimes through America’s assistance and support.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who had focused his remarks on elucidating the four terms that make up the “Islamic Revolution Guards Corps,” turned to the genuine meaning of Islamic Revolution after reviewing the meaning and concept of the words ‘corps’ and ‘guard’.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the Islamic Revolution is a permanent and durable reality and a “profound and never-ending transformation and evolution,” adding: “In spite of illusions and insinuations of foreign think tanks, which are repeated by some people inside the country, the revolution never ends and transforming it into the ‘Islamic Republic’ in the sense that they imagine will not be possible.”

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned delineation of political ideals as the first step in every revolution, adding: “Unlike tools and methods, these principles and ideals are unchangeable.”

Citing a Quranic verse, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution defined ‘ideal’ as ‘pure life’, adding: “Pure life involves everything which a nation needs to achieve happiness.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said national dignity; independence in the sense of national emancipation from injustice and tyranny and the domination of global bullying powers; progress together with spirituality in the global science and civilization; justice; welfare; Islamic ideas and Islamic lifestyle are major characteristics of the pure life, noting: “Moving towards this ideal society is a continuous move and in fact a permanent transformation and evolution towards the Almighty.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said faith in Allah and rejecting despots were other features of the pure life, adding: “In a bid to gradually wear off the [Iranian] nation’s hatred of arrogant powers, the West, in its propaganda, which is somehow repeated inside the country, says it is not necessary for a believer in God to reject despots, but faith in the Almighty and rejection of despots are inseparable features of the pure life.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said separating ideology from diplomacy and domestic policy is another focal point of the West’s current propaganda campaign, adding: “They expect us not to let our principles interfere in foreign policy, but thought, belief and ideology constitute a determining guide in all fields.”

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to speak about the contradiction between two phrases that have been repeated in foreigners’ propaganda recently.

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “On the one hand, the enemies say the Islamic Republic has power and influence and weight in the region and, on the other, they say ‘Set your revolutionary spirit and thoughts aside to join the global community’.”

“These two phrases contradict each other because our power and influence stem from our revolutionary spirit and performance and naturally if we ditched them, we would be weakened,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “The main goal of the enemies is that the Iranian nation should set aside its revolutionary ideas so as to lose its power and be devoured by the plots of several bullying countries claiming to be the global community.”

After reviewing different aspects of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei elucidated the features of the fourth word in the “Islamic Revolution Guards Corps”, i.e. ‘Islam’.

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Islam is the basis and essence of the revolution, but some are afraid of the name of Islam and instead of saying Islamic Revolution, they say ‘the 57 Revolution’ (1357 is the Iranian year when the 1979 Islamic Revolution triumphed).”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the “entire substance of the revolution” is pure Islam and while strongly criticizing populist, deviated and idiotic ideas of Takfiris, added: “An Islam relying on wisdom and narrations, and documented upon the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet [Muhammad (PBUH)] and his Household is the basis of our revolution that could be presented and defended with strong logic in all up-to-date forums in the world.”

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the influence of the Islamic Revolution on the minds and hearts of Muslim nations, saying: “An Islam restricted to personal practice, secular Islam, [and an] Islam minus jihad and martyrdom and prohibition of vice is not acceptable to the Iranian nation and the ‘Islam of the revolution’ could be found in the Quranic verses and the [late] Imam [Khomeini]’s last will and testament as well as his speeches and writings.”

Concluding this part of his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution told the IRGC staff: “You, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, enjoy such extensive and profound meaning and concept, and you should continue your guarding [activity] in full awareness and with full force.”

Criticizing verbal and oral remarks which knowingly or unknowingly undermine the IRGC, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The IRGC is a great divine blessing which everyone should appreciate.”

Ayatollah Khamenei stated that appreciation of the IRGC should start from within this institution, adding: “By strengthening your spiritual and intellectual and practical fabric on a daily basis, serious avoidance of providing others with any pretext, absolutely steering clear of issues which harm the IRGC’s dignity, and moving in the direct line of the revolution in economic, financial and political fields, appreciate and take care of the status and character of the IRGC.”

Underlining the necessity for the IRGC’s full attention to all threats, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “The enemy’s effort for infiltration is among big threats.”

“Economic and security infiltration is of course dangerous and has grave consequences, but political and culture infiltration of the enemy is a far greater danger, which everyone should watch out for,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out the enemies’ heavy investment in cultural infiltration in order to gradually change people’s beliefs, saying: “Also in the field of politics, the foreigners are seeking to infiltrate into decision-taking centers and if they fail, they would seek infiltration into decision-making centers, which in case of success of these conspiracies, orientations, decisions and general movement of the country would be regulated and implemented based on the demand and will of foreigners.”

Concluding his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution underscored the necessity of public awareness against enemy tactics, saying: “They are waiting for the nation and the [Islamic] Establishment to fall asleep and ten years later when, for example, I may not be [present], they would realize their objectives. But the nation and officials will not let the evil hope of foreigners in nation falling asleep to take root in the heart of the enemy.”

“We have to strengthen the pillars of revolutionary thought and spirit in the country so that nothing could disturb [the nation in its] pursuit of this blazing path, and this is a basic task for all the elite,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also highlighted the significance of the lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah, recommending everyone to spiritually benefit from the important days and moments of this noble month, particularly the Day of Arafah (the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and the day in which revelation of Islam was perfected). “We have to appreciate the Day of Arafah and recite the substantive prayers of this day thoughtfully and gather provisions for the tough and long path of life and gain necessary force and energy.”

Prior to Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks, Hojjatoleslam Ali Saeedi, who represents the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the IRGC, presented a report on the cultural activities carried out within the IRGC.

Then Major General Mohammad Ali Ja’fari, commander of the IRGC, pointed to the realization of divine promises about victory of the resistance front across the region, saying: “We will defend all principles, values and achievements of the Islamic Revolution correctly and with all our power and will never allow opponents of this divine path to clear the way for the infiltration of enemies.”

Referring to the new approaches adopted by the enemies for infiltration into the country, General Ja’fari said: “To counter enemy’s new tactics, the IRGC has come to the conclusion that concurrent with increasing the power and precision of its missiles, it [must also] pay attention to increasing the reach of Islamic ideals and [offering] models needed by the revolution.”

“We declare categorically that at no other juncture has Islamic Iran enjoyed such a defense and security power and strength, and [in no other time it has] enjoyed such preparedness in different social spheres,” General Ja’fari said.

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